Suprises
by odalys-ortiz
Summary: It's Joss's birthday and she is in for a day of pampering and gunpowder. #CareeseIsEternal


Disclaimer: Last one. Again not mine.

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><p>Surprises<p>

"Happy birthday Mom" Taylor announced as Joss walked towards the living room. Today thankfully was her day off so she had slept in an extra hour. Joss felt more refreshed and she had a wide smile on her face. Her baby was growing up and she had to fight back tears as she saw the breakfast before her.

"Well well, I'm quite surprised. Thank you so much baby." Joss went up and hugged Taylor. "Now I know that you had help with this. It looks too edible." She knew she was right when he wouldn't look at her. "Oh don't look like that. I still appreciate the gesture." They sat down in the kitchen and began to eat the eggs, bacon and freshly squeezed orange juice.

If Joss had had an idea that someone helped with breakfast, it was reaffirmed when she began eating. Everything on her plate tasted divine. In the Carter family, the women were more of the cooks. Her great grandmother, grandmother, and mom knew their way around a kitchen better than any five star chef. Joss unfortunately did not inherit such genes and to this day it continued to baffle her. Taylor had the same problems in the kitchen which added to Joss's suspicion.

Either way, she was going to enjoy her birthday breakfast. It was a nice change to start the day off with some pampering. Somedays, Joss would get called into a scene before she even left the house. The last few birthdays were no exception. After they were done, Taylor stayed behind to help with the dishes. Joss shooed him away to school, jokingly saying that her birthday didn't count as an official holiday and that he was going to do great on his Calculus test.

The two shared a laugh before he got his things and left. Alone now in the apartment, Joss thought that would be the end of the birthday surprises. If she only knew how wrong she was. Her house phone began to ring and Joss dreaded the thought of another dead body that needed her attention. She answered, putting it into the crook of her shoulder while continuing to wash plates. "Carter"

"Well well, congratz on being a year older partner" Fusco greeted on the other end, causing her to smile because he cared enough to remember. "So what are your plans going to be for today?"

Joss just turned off the water and began drying her hands. "Well if work doesn't decide to interfere, I think I will just stay home and relax."

"Don't you worry about a thing. I've got you covered on this end. Even the best Detective in the precinct needs to catch a break every once in a while. It just so happens to be your lucky day today." Joss's smile grew wider.

"Okay, but what's the catch?" She teased. It was great that Joss could just have a back and forth with Lionel. She never could get along with her other partners.

"The 'catch' is that you save me a piece of your cake." The two shared a laugh. Of course his stomach was thinking for him at the moment.

"That's a deal. I'll be sure to give it to you when I come in tomorrow." Bidding their farewells, Joss hung up the phone and looked to do a few things around the house. Suspiciously, everything appeared to have been cleaned already. Now she knew something was up and grabbed her burner phone. There was only one person that she knew who could sneak into her house and do all of this without making a sound. Joss got it out of her purse and was just about to dial his number when it began to ring. Joss jumped a bit as she looked towards the caller ID at the unknown number.

Rolling her eyes, Joss picked it up. "Carter"

"Detective, good morning and of course a very happy birthday to you." Joss wasn't surprised that Finch knew.

"Thanks Finch. Really makes a girl feel special when two vigilantes know it's her birthday." She was surprised at the chuckle on the other end. Finch didn't laugh much around her unlike a certain other person who got a kick from getting under her skin. "So what kind of help would you like today? Need a background check or some type of surveillance?" Joss took a seat at her kitchen counter while she waited for the request.

"Actually I was calling to offer you a gift on this special day. I feel that I do not show you enough appreciation with all of the risks you take to assist us." Saying she was flattered would have been an understatement. Joss helped them for the principal to protect others who couldn't protect themselves. Even crossing the line during the Rikers situation wasn't a big deal to her anymore because it was for her Man in a Suit.

"I appreciate the gesture Finch but I was just doing my job."

"Nonsense Jocelyn I have arranged for you to get the full spa treatment at a place downtown. I'm a very generous donor so all you have to tell the young lady at the desk is that Harold Wren sent you. They will handle the rest."

Joss felt like the air had been taken out of her lungs. She was momentarily disoriented. However she did manage to recover quickly, waving her hands to herself, wanting to emphasize her words. "No, no Harold, that's completely unnecessary."

"It's no trouble at all. A woman should be treated especially well on her birthday." Finch began to reminisce about Grace but pushed that away for another time. "Please do not worry at all about the cost. As I said before, it is my belated thank you gift."

There was no refusing him. Thinking about it now, Joss could use a bit of pampering. It had felt like ages since she even had a pedicure. Shrugging her shoulders, she said screw it. "Okay, just give me the address and I'll enjoy the day."

"Ah, don't worry about that. I will have my town car sent to your home. Goodbye Detective." Hanging up, Joss looked over the clock. Joss had only been up for only an hour and her day was already going so well. It took her a full minute before Joss realized why this particular birthday was so different from the others.

She had grown used to it just being her and Taylor over the last few years. She and Cal Beecher unfortunately fizzled out a few days ago. Joss changed her mind about taking the relationship further and decided to just remain friends with him. Cal seemed to take the news well enough from what she saw.

Now Joss found herself the center of attention with two guys that she had no business associating with. If someone told her that one day she would be working with vigilantes, Joss would have recommended that person check themselves into an asylum. It was strange that these two guys were more trustworthy than most men in her precinct. They were work associates, and Joss went as far to consider the two of them friend,s but Joss was taken aback that they considered her one as well, especially after the rocky start to the relationship after John's unfortunate run-in with Snow.

Those thoughts now out of her head, Joss jumped up and headed towards the bathroom. She was going to make the most out of this day.

* * *

><p>The driver helped Joss out of the car into the warm June weather. Standing in front of the spa was a tiny bit intimidating to her. Normally Joss couldn't imagine coming here as it was in a more upscale part of New York. Passing through the glass door, Joss noticed how clean everything was as she approached the front desk. There was expensive artwork decorating the walls and the furniture was of the highest quality. Her footsteps echoed off the tile floor, catching the attention of the woman who gave a kind smile.<p>

"Hello, how may I help you?" she greeted.

Joss began to tense up a bit. To be honest, she wouldn't had been surprised if they thought she was lost and told her to leave. "Um yeah, a friend of mine arranged something for me, a Mr. Wren."

She waited as the woman began typing on the computer,. Her eyes lit up as she looked over the information. "Ah yes, Mr. Wren is a very, very generous donor. You are quite lucky because he has requested that you receive the full experience. If I may ask, it is a special day today?"

The woman's kindness caused Joss to relax. She was pleasantly surprised at how she was being treated. "Yes, it's actually my birthday today."

There was a smile shared between the two. "That is wonderful. You look quite young if I may say so myself; but what we have in store for you will take another ten years for sure. Oh where are my manners. My name is Emily, I help run this establishment." She walked around the counter and outstretched her hand which Joss took appreciatively.

"The name is Joss Carter. I'm sorry to say that I'm a little bit out of my element here. Not exactly a place I can afford on my salary." Emily looked at her quizzically before staring at her hard, almost as if figuring out something. Before long, her face relaxed and the smile came back.

"That isn't a problem. I understand that the exclusivity is for people that are more financially stable but I wish to also just help people who aren't as fortunate and maybe need the stress relief. Lord knows most of us do when we're working." Joss nodded, relating to what she was saying. Emily raised her hand towards a hallway. "Shall we get started? You are in for quite the day" she said with genuine excitement.

Joss followed close behind until they stopped at a door that Emily explained was the changing room. After reassuring her that everything would be protected thanks to the high tech security, Joss went inside while Emily waited for her. There was a white robe waiting on the bench. Sitting beside it was a black one piece bathing suit. They had been expecting her after all but Joss was taken aback by the fact that it appeared to be her size. No one else was in any of the changing rooms as Joss got out of her jeans and t-shirt. Slipping into the suit and tightly wrapping the robe around her body with slippers on her feet, Joss put her things in a nearby locker.

Stepping back outside, Emily nodded in acknowledgement, complimenting her on how fit she was. Joss never recalled even thinking about things like that when it came to herself. There weren't too many people that pointed that out about her, but she appreciate the compliments all the same. The two of them walked down the hall until the next glass door was in view. Joss saw that the lettering on it say Pedicure and Manicure. Emily opened the door for Joss to go inside first before following.

Inside the room were two more young ladies and a couple of plush chairs spread around. Joss was escorted to one and took a seat. The second she did, the two ladies who introduced themselves as Katie and Betty, immediately went to work. It was such a whirlwind that Joss was surprised that she didn't get whiplash. Katie began to start work on one hand while Betty took care to take her slippers off and began to tend to her feet. Joss found herself growing comfortable in their presence, even talking about her son as the others were talking about their kids as well. It was funny how relatable she found these women. They took care of her as Katie took her time to make sure each individual finger was first cleaned then buff. She then trimmed the nails before applying a sheen to protect it. Betty did the same on her feet and Joss found herself fighting back the laugh because of how ticklish it was.

Emily offered her a few finger foods and juice which Joss accepted gratefully. Joss had to admit that it was worth taking the gift after all. She couldn't have found the time to get something done like this on her own with her job and all. After the heavenly treatment of all ten of her digits, Joss was escorted to the next part by Emily, which was a full body massage but not before saying goodbye to Katie and Betty.

The next room over had a long table inside and another woman that greeted Emily and her with a kind smile. Emily went on to explain that this was routine to have the same gender giving the massage as to promote more comfort as this tended to be where clients had some concerns. Joss felt a some relief at the conversation. To be honest with herself, she only really wanted one person to ever touch her like that. Strangely enough that person had been physically absent for the day so far. After her pampering was finished, Joss would give Finch a call to get his whereabouts. The masseuse was quite talented, an older woman named Sarah who was mother and a grandmother. While she worked on Joss's spine, the two shared stories about the worst time their kids got injured and how protective they were. Joss felt a personal connection to all of these women. It was just a matter of getting to know them better for her to understand that not all upscale business shy away from the middle income person. Maybe that was why Finch sent her here, understanding her financial status and comfort zone.

Sarah commented about how tense her shoulders were, attributing it to her job. Joss joked about having to work with a pain in the ass on a constant basis; but in a strange way, it was more of an endearment then an insult towards her Man in a Suit. Joss went from not wanting to be bugged by him to thinking about what he was up to. He had been in her house with Taylor but left before she woke up. Sarah went about applying more pressure throughout her upper back and Joss felt the bones in her body melting.

"So Joss, this guy you work with, is he a looker?" She chuckled to herself at the question into her arms which she was using as a makeshift pillow.

"You could say that." Joss then went on to describe him, how he had the bluest eyes she had ever seen, how there was something that he did with the salt and pepper hair that made it quite attractive, how his towering height was a bit intimidating at first but he could be quite gentle when he wanted to be. Joss closed her eyes to bring an image of him forward, causing a small smile.

"Damn Joss, why are you not rolling around under the covers with this guy? He sounds like a great catch for you" Sarah commented.

"It's not exactly that simple." Joss's cheerful mood dampened a bit.

"Let me guess, lover boy is a bit fairer skinned then you. Pfft, that isn't a big deal. Who cares what society thinks. Go outside the box for a change if it makes you happy." Another chuckle escaped Joss's lips. Their different ethnicities had never been an issue to her. It was the first time she found herself being attracted to someone of lighter skin. She knew that it was his personality ended up winning her over and had Joss trusting him the way she did.

With Cal, it felt like he was pushing for more too fast in her opinion. Joss was willing to introduce him to Taylor but she just began to slowly lose interest in Cal romantically. He was a great guy, but not what she was looking for. John Reese made her happy. As much as she didn't want to admit it, the troublemaker had managed to get under her skin. "There are other things that are kind of a big deal for us. For now, I'll just give it some time. I'm sure I'll see him later."

"Planning a big surprise for you huh. Sounds exciting." Pinching her fingers, Sarah dug through the rest of the knots in her muscles, easing them away.

After finishing, Joss sat up and nodded. "Yeah, well he's not exactly one that goes the traditional route so it will be a hoot I'm sure." Joss redressed in the robe just as Emily came back in. Joss let herself be escorted out but not before she bid Sarah goodbye; who in return teased her about getting her dream man. Joss just rolled her eyes and laughed in response.

The final thing that was on the agenda was a dip in the Jacuzzi to relax the body even further. Joss had to bite back the moan of appreciation over being able to unwind so much. Inside the last room sat said tub with everything already prepared along with more snacks offered. Emily made her exit and Joss quickly divested herself of the robe to get inside. The bubbling warm water had Joss sighing as she sat where there was a concentration of the jets. Being alone, Joss laid her head on top of her hands near the edge, needing to think a bit more about the kind of relationships she established now.

She wanted to see John. Maybe if she did, Joss would understand more about her feelings. The problem is that when the man didn't want to be found, he made sure that he could not be found. Finch wouldn't be able to get anything on his phone, since John would have shut it off to foil the GPS. Joss wanted to see him so she could thank him, not only for the breakfast or cleaning but just for continuing to be her friend. Things were rocky between them last year but after he rescued her son, there was no way that Joss couldn't forgive him, understand his reasons once he explained them to her.

John put his utmost trust in her when Finch went missing. He needed a friend in the vulnerable state that he was in and she was more than willing to be there for him, to help him stay strong. That was their relationship as a whole. They would help keep each other strong and get through whatever hell waited for them next. The hot water eased away the brief worry that Joss had, thinking that maybe John was in trouble or something.

Thankful for the pleasant day, Joss pulled herself away from her reveries before her fingers would start to shrivel up. Getting out, Joss dried off with a very thick towel that Emily provided. Joss covered herself and went back to the changing room, sighing as she got back into her casual wear. Just as she finished, Joss heard some voices outside the door. She pushed it out slightly and heard a commotion in the direction of the lobby. Joss approached slowly as things got more heated.

"I'm paying a small fortune to have my girlfriend get the treatment and you're telling me that she has to wait a few minutes? Who do you think you are?" The voice seemed demeaning and so familiar.

"Sir, I understand your time constraints. We just need to prepare what you asked for because we had another young woman that came earlier." Emily remained calm which had Joss smiling. She would definitely be coming back here in the near future.

Turning the corner, Joss was taken aback to see Cal standing there in a two piece suit with a woman who appeared to be missing some fabric from her dress. He was the first to acknowledge her and Joss saw that he was taken aback. "Joss? Fancy meeting you here." Cal approached her but Joss put up her guard given how aggressive he was to Emily.

"Yeah, quite a surprise to see you too. How are you Cal?" For some reason, Joss was getting a weird vibe off of him. It didn't help things when the woman he was with wrapped herself around his arm.

"C'mon honey, hurry up and deal with these people. I want to get nice and comfy already." She gave Joss the once over before commenting "Who's this, your mom?" There was no doubt that she was trying to humiliate Joss.

These girls really need to be put in her place and Joss was the one to do it. "Actually we dated for a bit." She was interrupted by the scoff from her. "Not that it really concerns you. I just wanted to say hi before I went back home." She then looked over at Emily with a smile. "Thank you so much for making today so special. Would you mind if I came in the future?"

She shook her head. "Not at all Joss. You are always welcomed here to share stories of your son with us."

"Excuse me? I believe I'm waiting for my massage." The woman was no doubt irritating. Joss was the only one that saw Emily rolling her eyes as she reached down to get something.

Cal chose to step in. "Actually Joss, I'm quite curious why you came here. It's not exactly something that would be suited for someone on a cop's income." He almost seemed to be bragging. Joss figured that it was because he might have been on the take, even though she didn't want to think that him was dirty. Cal was living well beyond his means. She was a first hand witness to some of the things he owned, like the gold watch he was wearing now.

"It's actually a birthday gift from a friend, not that it's any of your business." Cal's eyes widened at this new bit of information. "Next time, you might want to cool it with the attitude. It's that very thing that had me looking for someone else" she shot back.

The woman wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're very foolish for leaving all of this."

"Well if the ideal man is one with a fat bank account, then I don't want him." Just before she could go further, some scratching caught their attention.

"Oh!" Emily exclaimed before pointed towards the entrance. Outside sat a dog, wagging its tail frantically.

Joss recognized the breed immediately. "Bear?" She then turned to Emily. "I'm so sorry. That's my friend's dog. He must have followed me."

She just shook her head and laugh. "That is no problem. Go on and let him in. I have a few treats that I can share with him."

Expressing her thanks, Joss went over to the glass doors. Opening one slightly, Bear didn't hesitate to jump up on her, causing Joss to yelp. "Beneden jongen." He quickly sat on his hind legs. "What do you have in your mouth?" Holding out her hand, Joss gave the order and the object was dropped into it. Her eyes widen a bit at the single stemmed rose. There was no doubt as to who sent it but where was he. Joss crouched down and scratched Bear behind the ears. "Thank you for the delivery. Where's your master?"

"So well behaved," Emily said as she crouched down, holding out a snack which Bear cheerfully ate.

"He sure is. Thanks for everything. I'm going to head to what I'm guessing is my last gift."

"Have a great birthday Joss." She then went back to attend to Cal and his girlfriend.

Joss opened the door, allowing Bear to lead. He was quite energetic as she followed him down the street, unbothered by the curious glances of passersby. After another block, Bear took an unexpected turn into a small alley. Unsure if it was right, Joss asked "In here?" When the tag wagged enthusiastically, she knew she got her answer. "Okay" shaking her head in disbelief, she went inside. At the end, there was a lone door. Twisting the handle, Joss pulled it open and went inside, this time Bear was following her. There were stairs leading further down. The hall was well lit despite the building appearing abandoned. When Joss reached the bottom, it opened up to a large room.

There was quite a bit of equipment down here. It reminded her of the shooting range back at the station. Off to the side, there was an assortment of different caliber weapons laying organized on a large table. In front of her were the booths with bulletproof glass and ear protection. Joss scratched her head at the sight. It was then that she heard his voice.

"Happy birthday Joss." She looked to the side where John was leaning against the threshold of a door.

"Not exactly the traditional place to surprise a girl but thanks. It's good to finally see you since you did decide to drop by my house this morning." Joss gave him a stern look.

"Well Taylor did let me in, so I was actually invited this time."

"At least Taylor didn't burn the kitchen down." Joss then moved her hands outward a bit. "So you got me a shooting range? I mean I enjoy the gesture but you know that they have one at the precinct."

"I do." John pushed away before walking forward. "But I thought that maybe it would be nice to be able to play with some guns that aren't exactly standard issue." His eyes went to the table. "Why do you give one of them a try?"

Joss couldn't help but roll her eyes at everything. "You're unbelievable John" she said with a smile. "I wouldn't mind trying a sniper gun though. You use to be one right?"

"One of the best in my unit" he bragged with no shame. Joss walked over to the booth while John picked a gun that would suit her. Deciding on the SVD, he turned around and stopped briefly to admire the woman in front of him. Even though she was a year older, there was not a thing that was wrong with her. She was perfect to him. From her beautiful eyes to her slim waist, Joss was gorgeous without even trying. John knew what he was getting himself into and he was happy to do it. When she looked over at him, he held up the rifle. "This would be a good first try. It's light and accurate so you can get accustomed to it quickly."

She then put the glasses on. "Alright that's fine." John moved closer until he was only a breath away. Joss did her best to keep her breathing even as he put the gun in front of her. His large hands then traced her arms until they covered hers then lifted them to make sure she was positioned correctly.

"Even though it is a small gun, you can easily hurt yourself if you don't treat it right. I remember a friend of my learned the hard way and got a bruise on his shoulder for a week." Joss's body involuntarily started to get warm as his hands moved lightly over her shoulders before traveling down then landing on her hips. It felt so good to have them lying there, so right. Joss then focused on holding on to the weapon, adjusting a bit until it was comfortable in her hands. She then tilted her head, focusing through the sight until she could see the white paper on the other end of the room. "Now when you're ready, hold your breath and pull the trigger" he whispered softly into her ear and Joss could feel the goosebumps creeping up on her.

Joss did as instructed, her body stilling with the slowing down of her heart. She slowly pulled the trigger and her body absorbed the recoil easily as the bullet traveled quickly through the air. It didn't take long before it struck the target dead center. Joss was happy with the experience, though she pulled back to get some separation between her and John as she took off the glasses. "That was interesting" she commented when she looked over at him. "Thanks, for all of this. It's been the most interesting birthday I've had in years." Joss suddenly felt herself growing shy in his presence, unsure of what to think about all of this.

"I should be the one to thank you Joss." He then took a step closer as confusion was reflected on her face. "Not just for the numbers, but for what you did for me back in Rikers."

"I just did what I had to for a friend" she said with a smile.

He closed the distance between them and put a large hand on her cheek. "No, you did more than that." Joss closed her eyes at his words. "I'm not talking about just getting me out but you were there for me through it all. It was so hard to imagine that it was the end, that I wouldn't be able to help anyone again, that I…" John waited until those doe eyes looked back at him. When they did, his heart speed up before he spoke the next words. "I wouldn't be able to see you again Joss."

"John…" He put a finger against her lips.

"Please Joss, let me finish." She nodded her head. "I know that it wasn't exactly a good thing to just disappear on you like I did for a month. I needed some time to think about what to say to you, especially when Finch told me what you did."

Joss chuckled. "So you thought to surprise me on my birthday of all days to what, ask for forgiveness or something?"

"It would be a start."

"You are wasting your time." John's face dropped, thinking that he had angered her. "You didn't have to do all of this just to talk to me John. I do appreciate the gesture." Joss gave herself some room, pulling away from him despite her body's protest. "It's been years since I spent a birthday with anyone other than my son. Suddenly I have friends in Fusco, Finch and you and it's been a bit overwhelming."

"I think both of us have had quite the ride, especially during the last few weeks. Never would have thought that I would have made it this far to be honest."

"Because of what happened with Jessica?" Joss probed carefully on the sensitive topic.

John nodded before continuing. "I never thought that I would find someone else that I could trust."

"Well you didn't exactly give yourself a choice, especially with how you made yourself known on that subway" she joked before she began to play around with some of the handguns.

"I'm glad to have done that though." John had to laugh at the dark look she gave him. "C'mon Joss, you know that if I wanted to kill those guys, I would have."

"Point proven and you know I'm grateful for it. It would have been harder to defend your actions."

"Either way, it brought me to you, Finch, and regrettably Lionel." Just remembering the trouble he Fusco caused had John groaning.

"Funny how things work out." Joss then looked at her watch, surprised at how late it was. "I should probably get going before Taylor wonders where dinner is."

"I don't think he'll be too worried. He just wants you to have your day." He began to think back to the conversation with the younger Carter back in the kitchen. Taylor confided the concerns he had about his mother never taking any time to enjoy things that she wanted to, instead focusing all of her attention on work and him. "He wanted me to tell you that he would have dinner with a friend and to enjoy your birthday."

Joss let out an exasperated sigh. "That boy really needs to stop planning things against me, especially with you."

"I'm hurt Joss. I would think that I was a good influence for your son." He feigned innocence as she gave him another dirty look. John held his hands up in defense. "If you really want to leave, I'm not going to stop you." He hoped that she wouldn't.

Thinking on it a bit, Joss just shrugged her shoulder and leaned up against the booth. "If I'm not needed at home, I can spare a few more minutes."

"You should enjoy today though Joss. It's not everyday that you get time to celebrate a birthday." John leaned up next to her, being sure to allow some distance between their arms. "So how was the spa?"

Not even bothering to give him another lecture about boundaries, Joss just told him. "It was heavenly. Finch really didn't have to do that for me. I just wanted to help with the cases. I wasn't expecting anything in return."

"And you will get it anyway. Finch isn't exactly one to take no for an answer." John gave her a slight nudge which she did right back. "He takes care of people that help him. Finch doesn't exactly forget things. That's how I got my new place. It was a birthday gift."

"Aww, it passed already. You should have told me. I would have baked you a cake." Her head slowly slid to his shoulder.

"That's alright. You have another chance next year." Hearing her hum in agreement, John looked down at her where she laid with her eyes closed. Without thinking, that large hand of his went up to move the dark tresses of hair from her face. "Hey, before you fall asleep, I have something else to give you" he said softly.

Joss stirred at his words before lifting her head up slightly. "I think I've had enough gifts for one day."

"Just one more." She groaned before looking up at him fully. John's hand moved from her cheek to the back of her neck, bringing her closer until their lips met. Joss's mind suddenly became aware of what was happening, her body beginning to come alive at the contact. John was taken aback when she snaked her hands around his neck, dragging him closer to her.

The air was stolen from the two of them, forcing them to break apart. After a few minutes of catching their breath, Joss was the first to speak. "I think that was the best gift I've gotten all day." There was a wide smile plastered across her face.

When Joss linked their arms, he smiled too. "Glad to know that you aren't mad at me." She stayed quiet, waiting for him to explain. "I've had these feelings for you for a while now. At first, I tried to push them away because of my occupation and the threats against me. Then I realized that no matter how much I tried to pull away, you somehow always came back to me." They then looked at each other. "Just like at the DOD facility when I was ready to meet my end, you came to me again. I was glad that you were alright. It had been eating away at me what Kara might have done to you after she drugged me. You were too stubborn to stay away though."

Joss dropped her head at his words. "I couldn't, not when you are someone that has become important to me too." She then threaded their hands together. "You've done so much, not just for me but for my family. Do you still not think of yourself as a good man John?" She was taken aback when he nodded his head. "Why?"

"I just think about all the trouble that has happened just because I stuck my nose in something I shouldn't have, like saving Elias."

"Even with all the trouble you've caused, some good came out of it. It brought us together" she pointed out.

John squeezed her hand lightly. "You're right." He paused a moment before continuing. "So what are we going to do now, about us?"

The two of them shared a look before Joss shook her head. "How about we don't think about it too much? John, we both know what's on the line if we take 'whatever this is' between us further."

"Yeah." Thoughts of Jessica flowed through John's mind.

"Even so, I want this. You've given me so much. I don't want to be a coward anymore about how I feel for you. I'm afraid because I know that things wouldn't exactly be normal. We can't go out in public, hold hands, go to dinner, all of those things that normal couples do." Joss couldn't help but think about those things. It hadn't been the first time since she had constantly thought of the dangers with having a relationship with John.

"Do you want normal Joss? I can't be the one to give that to you. That's why I kept quiet when you started seeing Beecher. He could have taken care of you the way you wanted." As much as he tried to put on a mask at the time, John knew that he had been jealous of the relationship.

"My preferences had changed before I met him" she pointed out before finally pulling herself away from him and stood up to face him with her hands on her hips. "I saw him earlier and it made me glad that I broke things off. He became an ass." Joss approached him then wrapped her arms around his neck. "You are worth the trouble" she then smiled softly.

John wrapped his arms around her, pulling Joss between his legs. "I guess it was worth stalking you all those months."

"Funny." Joss leaned over so their lips could meet again. "Besides, how many girls can say that they had a vigilante give them a gun range for a birthday present?"

"Not many." His hands gripped her hips. "How about tonight I cook you and Taylor something?"

Joss eyed him incredulously. "You know how to cook?" He simply nodded his head. "Could a girl be any more lucky?"

"I think we are both the lucky ones here Joss. C'mon, let's go back to your place and I'll show you." The two of them smiled as they went out the metal door, John locking the place behind him. As they joined the crowd that was starting to form on the street, Joss couldn't help but think to herself that this was the best birthday she could have ever asked for.

* * *

><p>AN: And that's all for me. Thanks for all of the red mark SW, they just help my stories improve by miles. Everyone keep them tweets going at #JossCarterIsEternal. NO MERCY! =^_^=


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